Grading

All weekly projects are "turned in" when they are posted to your web site
(exceptions of course are written assignments or storyboards). Written projects
are due at the beginning of class in the appropriate format. Unit projects
and the final T284 site will have due dates and times listed on
the class schedule.
No credit will be given for late assignments.Grade records will be maintained using
Oncourse. Understand that Oncourse is
used for reporting scores on individual assignments; NOT official final grades.

Web site journal (10@2 points/10%)
Every designer studies the ideas and creations of others. You will maintain
an online journal of the web sites you visit. Every week you must make an entry
with a written critique of one web site you've visited that week. To encourage
variety in the sites you review I will provide a theme. Find a site that fits
the current week's theme and use it for your critique.

Site critiques should consist of at least 3 to 4 paragraphs and
touch on the topics we've covered in class throughout the semester. Which aspects
of the site are successful? Which are not? How does the site communicate? How
well does it represent the person, group, company, or organization it stands
for? What techniques does it use that you can borrow or modify in designs of
your own? Think about these kinds of questions as you evaluate each web site. Journal entries will be posted to your
T284 site and must be turned in by 10 PM the night before lecture. Be sure that
each journal entry contains a link to the site you discuss—entries without
links will be marked down.

Quizzes (10@2 points/10%)
Weekly quizzes will cover material from the previous
week's class readings and lecture topics. Make-up quizzes are only offered
in cases of illness or emergency.

Weekly design assignments (10@2 points/10%)
XHTML mark-up, graphics, animation, JavaScript, CSS, audio, etc.
Weekly design assignments must be posted and linked by 10 PM the night before
your scheduled lab period. An assignment is not complete unless it is linked
from your T284 "home page"(index.html in your T284 directory). No
passing grade will be given if all design assignments are not completed and
handed in. Late design assignments will be checked off at no credit.

Your T284 web site (30 points/15%)
Each student will maintain a web site that links to every assignment and project
they do for the class. At the end of the term, students will be graded on
a working critique, the overall design, and final usability of this site.

Participation (20 points/10%)
Participation is essential in this class. Your participation goes far beyond
attendance. It is a combination of your involvement in daily discussions, in-class
critiques, and your overall effort in the class.

Unit projects (6@15 points/45% total) There are six unit projects that you will complete this semester one
for each major topic we cover in lab. You are responsible for finding and
completing a tutorial for projects 1-5. The purpose of this is for you to
be engaged in a process which teaches you how to be resourceful and teach
yourself new material. This kind of resourcefulness is absolutely essential
for people who deal in interactive media design; thus it is a core component
of the course. Your instructor and AI can help guide you in the process, however
the final responsibility for choosing each tutorial is in your hands.Unit 1 (XHTML/CSS): Tutorial on XHTML and/or CSS
stylesUnit 2 (Web Graphics):
Tutorial using Adobe Photoshop or ImageReady Unit 3 (Web Animation):
Tutorial using Macromedia Flash Unit 4 (Audio for Interactive Media): Tutorial using
Apple Soundtrack Pro Unit 5 (Web Programming): Tutorial on JavaScript Unit 6 (Usability): Usability test and report
See the syllabus resources page for suggestions on finding your tutorials

Every project must begin with a written proposal. These short, written documents
are always due one week before the project due date (see the class
schedule for specifics). Proposals must have the following components:

Description of the tutorial

Tutorial source (book or web site)

Brief discussion of what you want to learn and what you intend to create
in your "original version" of the tutorial (explain how the tutorial
techniques will allow you to design something new using techniques that
are not yet part of your repertoire)

Your proposals should be word-processed and stapled.
Storyboards (when appropriate) should be sketched on paper in color or black & white.
Architecture diagrams (when appropriate) may be done on the computer or by
hand. The
completeness of your proposal will be reflected in the grade for each project.

Unit Project tutorial guidelines
Following is a list of items that must be turned in with every tutorial

Completed tutorial : you will do a tutorial of your choice exactly as
specified by the source. The final file should be linked from your T284 site

Completed "original version": you will do your own version of
the tutorial to create something new and original. For instance you could
do a tutorial on XHTML forms and then create a new, original form that recruits
members for an IU-related club or organization. This should also be linked
from your T284 site.

A printed discussion of the tutorial experience: what difficulties did
you encounter, what did you learn, how do you see this fitting into projects
in the future? This should be a thoughtful analysis of the project that
fills at least one entire page.

A print-out or photocopy of the tutorial you used as your source.

Tutorial projects will be evaluated on the following criteria

Technique & production: This includes correct XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript
code; accurate completion of the tutorial, and quality of your craft.

Aesthetic considerations: This pertains to the "original version"
of the tutorial. The expectation is that the work you produce follows the
guidelines of usability and appropriate design practice as discussed in
class. This includes visual hierarchy, thoughtful use of color and graphics,
and other topically specific criteria.

Other things to keep in mind throughout the semester...
Constructive classroom involvement will be used to nudge a grade either up or
down. For example, C+ to B- or A- to B+. Constructive classroom involvement
includes attendance, constructive discussion, helping other students, and volunteering
for demonstrations. Non-constructive involvement is anything which adversely
disrupts the labs and/or non-attendance. This specifically
includes working on class computers during times when the instructor is lecturing
or students are making presentations. Students who insist on being disrespectful
in this manner will have their grades lowered. The Lab involvement nudge
is completely subjective and will only be used in borderline situations unless
the Lab involvement is perceived to be non-constructive in which case the grade
will automatically move downward. The bottom line: be respectful
and do good work.

Grading
Your final grade will be calculated by dividing the total number of points you
have earned by 2 (half). At any point during the semester you can calculate
your grade by dividing the number of points you've earned by the number of possible
points. Then, multiply that number by 100 to get your grade percentage. For
instance if we've done one 5 point quiz and one 20 point critique the possible
points are 25. If you scored 4 and 19 respectively, your total points are 23.
Now, do the math: 23/25 = .92 * 100 = 92% You have earned an A-.

The following grade descriptions have been adapted from the grade
definitions defined by student and faculty members of the Committee on Improvement
of Instruction.

Grade

Percentage

Description

A+

100

Amazing performance; rarely ever happens.

A

96-100

Superior performance; student work goes far above and beyond requirements
of the course; demonstrates a command of course material through an innovative
and creative application of concepts; far exceeds course expectations.

A-

91-95

Excellent performance; student work goes far above and beyond requirements
of the course; demonstrates a command of course material through an innovative
and creative application of concepts.

B+

88-90

Very good performance; student work meets requirements and demonstrates
creative or thoughtful application of course material; exceeds course expectations.